The Tower of London Mighty Fortress, Royal Palace, Infamous Prison Tiernan Chapman-Apps Before the Tower William the Conqueror was a distant cousin of Edward the Confessor, he wanted to be the King of England. He said he had been promised the throne in 1051 and was meant to be supported by Harold the Earl of Wessex son and heir of the Earl of Godwin in 1064 who swore to uphold his right to be king. However Harold went back on his promise and was an usurper. Edward died having no children and both Harold and William wanted the throne. William invaded the country and Harold was killed in the battle of Hastings by an arrow and then a sword of a knight William was crowned on Christmas Day 1066 Pictures from top to bottom William the Conqueror Edward the Confessor Harold the Earl of Wessex or Harold II The building and construction Building of the Tower of London actually began just after William the Conqueror captured the city in 1066, Immediately after his coronation (Christmas 1066), William I the Conqueror began to erect fortifications on the South East corner of the site to dominate the indigenous mercantile community and to control access to the Upper Pool of London, the major port area before the construction of docks farther downstream in the 19th century. 12 years later the building of the White Tower began to take place and other defenses were developed and made bigger during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. At the end of King Edwards reign in 1307 the Tower of London was a huge and imposing castle. The central keep, known as the White Tower was begun about 1078 close inside the old Roman city wall and was built of limestone from Caen in Normandy. During the 12th and 13th centuries the fortifications were extended beyond the city wall, the White Tower becoming the nucleus of a series of concentric defences enclosing an inner and an outer ward. A Concentric Castle is a Castle with two or more concentric curtain walls, such that the inner wall is higher than the outer wall. Making it so the defences of the castle are harder to infiltrate as they are defended from a height allowing the inhabitants to fire or shoot down towards the invaders. The Tower in the 1500’s The pictures to the left are a depiction as to what people claim The Tower of London looked like in the 1500’s In the medieval period of England the Tower of London was a Royal residence and a formidable symbol of England's national heritage. At this time in history Castles like this were a very popular prison as well as a prison in the medieval period. The monarch traditionally spent the night at the Tower prior to his or her coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. It has a lot of history kept in its walls including things that were not very nice and it has shaped a lot. In those days they didn’t have running water or electricity so if you were a member of the royal family you would have slaves to do your jobs. Edward I Longshanks was determined to finish the work his father, Henry III, had started. To finish the work he spent £21,000 to make the Tower of London the biggest Concentric Castle in the whole of England. Despite the vast expense and work taken, Edward I didn’t really use the castle to live there much, The Tower of London did become one of the best prisons in England, and a safe and well kept place for the Royal Mint as well as other Priceless valuables belonging to the Royal Family. Defences of The Tower Of London East Battlements The Broad Arrow Tower: from the 14th century, the Broad Arrow Tower was connected to the government responsible for royal supplies, known as the wardrobe. It was originally a guard tower in which the medieval garrison would have defended this section which is part of the inner curtain wall. Fighting Platform: This is where the garrison would have assembled if they were attacked. Martin Tower: from 1669 until 1841 the Crown Jewels were kept here The Constable Tower: South Battlements The Salt Tower: This Tower originally looked over the Thames, in times of trouble, archers on the ground floor would protect the tower by shooting through the 5 arrow loops, also on the walls of the Salt Tower there is graffiti from prisoners held there over 500 years ago Saint Thomas Tower: This room was built and used by Edward I in the late 1270s to meet important guests Lanthorn Tower: this holds objects which date back to the reign’s of Henry III and Edward I Wakefield Tower: built by Henry III in approx 1230’s and probably used as his council chamber North Battlements Bowyer Tower: This Is where the royal bowmakers once worked. Flint Tower: The second Tower defence on the first fortification of tower, built between 1238-72 The Moat The moat was originally dug as a defence ditch by Henry III and was first filled with water by Edward I in the 13th century via the connection to the Thames. Peasants Revolt 1381 This was a major uprising or rebellion across England in 1381. This was led by several people the most notable of these men was Wat Tyler, they managed to attack and gain entry to the Tower of London and Executed many royal officials. The Tower of London is and was protected by enormous walls, initially it was designed to protect against Danish attacks, it wasn’t built as a royal residence. It was a stronghold to protect the royal family in times of civil disorder or war. It housed may timber buildings inside which over the course of the years have changed and developed into the formidable Tower we now have. Some of the walls and ramparts are fifteen feet thick and ninety feet high. With a huge moat this made the Tower one of the most protected and defensive Castles ever built. It is known that the oldest part of the Castle, the White Tower, was begun after 1077 and completed by 1097. The notice ‘Begun circa 1080’, formerly displayed outside the Tower, was removed and 1078 has been accepted as its beginning. This is a map of the Tower with key parts marked out (e.g. The Towers, Main Castle and other important things) Height: 88.58Ft (Architectural) Address: North Bank, London It was Opened in 1078 Though the main Royal residence of the medieval Kings of England was always their palace at Westminster, the Tower of London was, from the time of its construction by William I an alternative Royal residence and particularly a refuge for them in times of crisis. Past Royal Many of the past residents made changes to the Tower, by adding parts and changing things. Henry III (1216-72) and Edward I (1272-1307) were two of the Kings to do this, between them they added walls which were called defenses and lots of smaller towers, they also enlarged the Moat. Residents Other famous residents of the castle have been Henry VIII (1491-1547). Henry VIII was the King who decreed that the Yeoman Warders would become permanent residents and guards of the Tower of London, they are still there to this day Henry VIII also allowed Anne Boelyn to stay in the Castle the night before their wedding at Westminster Abbey, he also imprisoned her there before he had her executed, on the Tower Green for adultery. Many other famous medieval Kings and Queens also lived at the palace, they had beautiful apartments at the Tower and they also had the luxury of being able to worship in the Chapel Royal Other residents of the Tower though not kept in luxurious surroundings were Lady Jane Grey who was executed in 1554 aged just 17, Catherine Howard, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Guy Fawkes. More recently in the last 100 years the infamous London brothers the Kray Twins were kept there. The pictures to the left depict the following kings from top to bottom Henry III Henry VIII Edward I There have been many residents of the Tower who have suffered death within the walls. During the Wars of the Roses King Henry VI (R 1422-1461 and R1470-1471) was murdered there in 1471. it has been said that the King was murdered whilst praying in the Kings private chapel in the Wakefield Chapel. Reports on his death and the location of his murder differ though although after his body was exhumed in 1910 the forensic report suggest the King died due to extreme violence. Two residents who died within the walls of the Tower are the children of Edward IV, 12 year old Prince Edward V and his brother 10 year old Prince Richard of Shrewsbury. the two Princes vanished within the Tower in 1483, they had originally been brought to the Tower after the death of their father King Edward IV, on the orders of their uncle Richard the Duke of Gloucester, when he claimed the royal throne for himself they were stripped of their titles and declared illegitimate. After this they were moved to the Garden Tower (now known as the bloody tower) and became prisoner's of the crown. They both disappeared mid 1483 and were never seen again. Two skeletons were found in 1674 during renovations and they were re-examined in 1933 proved to be the skeletons of two boys aged 12 and 10.